Safety lamp assembly



April 1961 N. P. WORDEN 2,981,828

SAFETY LAMP ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 1, 1955 INV'NTOR. A/QrZer; )4 0727e71.

IrraF/vr/s United States Patent ice SAFETY LAMP ASSEMBLY Norbert P.Worden, Detroit,-Mich., assignor to C. M. Hall Lam Co., Detroit, Mich.,a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 1, 1955, Ser. No. 525,604

8 Claims. (Cl. 2408.18)

The principles of the invention are exemplarily embodied in a safetylamp assembly adapted to be demountably associated with an automotivevehicle. The assembly is representatively provided with a length ofcoiled 7 cable so that in the event of breakdown on the highway or otherdistress conditions, the lamp assembly may be demounted from thevehicle, the cable unwound, and the lamp placed in an appropriatewarning position. To this end, both faces of the lamp are transparent ortranslucent, the light rays emanating from the rear face of the lamppreferably being red and the light rays emanating from the forward faceof the lamp assembly preferably being amber. Additionally, lenses mayalso be placed on the sides of the assembly so that rays of anappropriate color, such as red, are emitted laterally to be certain thatvehicles approaching from any direction will be alerted to the fact thatthere is a parked vehicle on or adjacent the highway.

Certain of the principles of the invention are broadly applicable to anytype of lighting assembly. Thus, in the conventional practice, each lampassembly adapted to be associated with an automotive vehicle is normallyprovided with a tubular lamp socket, normally of brass, supported indiverse fashions in a body member. It has been found that the cost ofmanufacture of a lamp assembly may be simplified, and the cost ofmanufacture reduced, without impairing either the electrical ormechanicalefliciency of the total structure, by forming the lamp socketintegrally with the lamp assembly body, and more particularly, byforming the body in two castings, with each casting including a portionwhich serves as one part of the lamp socket when the two castings areassembled.

It has further been discovered that lenses may be assembled to a bodymember in an improved fashion by employing plastic lenses provided withprojecting flanges which may be peaned over portions of the body memberby the application of heat during the assembly operation. This method ofassembly not only provides a secure interattachment between the lens andthe body member but also tends to provide a seal against the admissionof dust into the lamp assembly, since during the heat peaning the flangeon the lens is caused to engage the body members intimately and toassume the precise configuration of the body member surfaces which itengages.

The foregoing and other characteristics of the invention will be betterappreciated by a consideration of the following detailed description ofan embodiment of the invention when read with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a lamp assembly embodying theprinciples of the invention;

Fig. 2. is a horizontal sectional view, with the bulb removed, takensubstantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 of Fig. l, with the bulbv in place; and

2,981,828 Patented Apr. 25, 1961.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, with the bulb removed, takensubstantially along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

The representative lamp assembly disclosed comprises a body assembly 10affixed to a mounting bracket 12 by means of a stud 14. Mounting bracket12, fragmentarily represented, is adapted to be mounted interiorly orexteiiorly of the automotive vehicle with which the disclosed lampassembly is intended to be associated. Stud 14 also supports a cablespool assembly 16 around which a cable 18 may be wound so that the lampas sembly may be powered from the vehicle battery and yet be moved asubstantial distance from the vehicle in an emergency situation.

As may best be seen in the sectional view, the body assembly 10comprises a pair of generally annular mating body portions: an outerbody portion 20 and an inner body portion 22. For the most part, the twobody per tions 20 and 22 are mirror images of one another. Zinc base diecastings have been successfully employed as the body portion 20 and 22.

The annular outer body casting 20 is provided with spaced-apart,parallel, concentric flanges 26 and 28 (Figs. 2 and 3) defining anannular slot 30 in which, if desired, an annular gasket 32 may beseated. A flange 34 upon the outer convex lens 36 abuts both the gasket32 (if one be provided) and the flange 26 so as to provide a properseal. The outer lens 36 is attached to the outer body; casting 20 bymeans of screws 38 (Fig. 1) which engage. tapped apertures in individualdepending tabs 40, 42 and 44 (Fig. 4) formed integrally with andextending radially. inwardly from the flange 28.

Additional tabs 46, 48 and 50 extend radially inwardly from the outerperiphery of the outer body portion 20 (Fig. 4). Tabs 46, 48 and 50 maybe coplanar with tabs 40, 42 and 44 but are representatively shown (Fig.3) to be disposed in a plane slightly offset from that of thetabs 40, 42and 44.

The inner body casting 22 is identical to'the outer body casting 20 asfar as the outer body casting 20 has been thus far described, beingprovided with an inner lens -54 attached in the same manner as lens 36and being further provided with an additional trio of tabs which arecounterparts of tabs 46, 48 and 50 on the outer body casting 20 (Fig.4). i

' The outer and inner body portions 20 and 22 are held together bymachine screws engaging tabs 46, 48 and 50 on the outer body portion 20and thecorresponding tabs on the inner body portion 22. Thus, as may beseen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, tab 56 on the inner body casting 22 iscored to accept the shank of a machine screw 60 and tab 46 on the outerbody portion 20- is apertured and tapped to threadedly accept screw 60.

Over the major portion of the body assembly, the

junction between the outer body portion 20 and the inner body portion 22is an annulus. To insure that the posi-' tional relationship of theouter and inner body portions is maintained and to provide a sealagainst the admission into the inner cavity of the lamp assembly offoreign materials such as dust, the outer and inner body portions 20 and22 are provided with radially otfset projections 62 and 64,respectively, which mesh to form a halflap joint. This joint and theother areas of junction between the two body portions are preferablycoated with an adequate seal.

As may best be seen in Fig. 3, the outer body casting 20 and the innerbodycasting 22 areprovidecl with upper mating semi-cylindrical concavesurfaces 68 and 70, intermediate mating semi-cylindrical concave surfaces 72 and 74, and lower mating semi-cylindrical concave surfaces 76and 78. When assembled, surfaces 68 and70 define a cylindrical socketadapted to accept A V 3 l a lamp 80, each of the surfaces 68 and 70being provided with an L-shaped slot such as 82 (Fig. 4) to acceptbayonet prongs 84 and 86 of the lamp 80.

The mating surfaces 72 and 74 define a well for accepting an assemblyincluding a contact 88, an insulating washer 90 and a spring 92. Thelower mating surfaces 76 and 78 define an aperture through which theconductor 94, a constituent element of the cable 18, may extend. Theother conductor 96 (Fig. 4) in the cable 18 is connected to the bodycastings in any appropriate fashion. The cable 18 then passes through anaperture in the body casting, a grommet 98 preferably being provided toinsure a seal.

As may best be seen in Fig. 3, the outer and inner body portions 20 and22 are also provided with downwardly extending portions 100 and 104,respectively, serving to define, when the two portions are assembled, agenerally hollow, circular cylindrical neck portion, the base of whichis apertured to accept the shoulder portion 102 of the mounting stud 14.A laterally projecting web 106 may be provided on the outer body portion20 to overlie and limit upward motion of the head portion of themounting stud 14.

The mounting stud 14 serves to retain the lamp body assembly 10, and thecable spool 16 upon the bracket 12, the assembly being retained in placeby a wing nut 110. Spool assembly 16 comprises upper and lower plates112 and 114 welded or otherwise secured to a tube 116 through which theshank of the mounting stud 14 extends. The shoulder 102 of the mountingstud 14 may be noncircular, such as square, with the apertures in theneck portion of the body assembly and the upper spool plate 112 beingsimilarly-configured to inhibit relative rotation among those members.

It will be noted that a clip 118 may be mounted upon the upper spoolplate 112 to retain the cable 18 in position as it extends from thespool assembly 16 into the body assembly 10, and a clip 120' may bemounted upon the lower cable spool plate 114 to mount a socket 122 ofany appropriate type adapted to engage a mating plug mounted on thevehicular body and supplied with appropriate voltage.

As previously indicated, it is desirable to provide warning illuminationlaterally of the assembly as well as fore and aft. To this end, outletlenses 126 and 128 may be provided in the sides of the body assembly 10.Each of the outlook lenses such as lens 128 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) isprimarily in the form of a rectangular plate curved to the cylindricalconfiguration of the body assembly 10. Interjoined upper, and lower sideridge members 132, 134 (Fig. 4) 136 and 138 (Figs. 2 and 3) extendperpendicularly to the main plate portion of the lens 28 and around itsperimeter, but this ridge is spaced from the plate edges to define aperipheral lip 140 (Figs. 2 and 4).

Each of the outlook lenses, such as lens 128, seats within an aperturedrecess in the body assembly 10. The recess is of the same size and shapeas the plate portion of the outlook lens 28 including the peripheral lip140. The aperture is of similar form but is of appropriate size toaccept and engage the ridge portions 132 to 138. Thus, the upper andlower edges of the recess are defined by flanges 144 and 146 (Fig. 4)while the sides of the aperture are formed by flanges 148 and 150 (Fig.2). It will be appreciated that side flange 136 is actually part of theouter body casting 20, that side flange 138 is actually a part of theinner body casting 22 and that the upper and lower flange portions 144and 146 are actually roughly medially divided, a portion of eachappearing on each of the body portions 20 and 22.

As may best be seen in Fig. 4, a generally rectangular gasket 152 maybeinterposed the peripheral lip 140 on the outlook lens 128 and theflanges 144 to 150.

:,The side ridge members 136 and 138 on outlook lens 128 are shown inFig. 2 in their normal form as they enses are when lens 128 is insertedin the body assembly 10. The outlook lens 128 may be aflixed in thisinserted position in any suitable fashion such as by an appropriateadhesive. However, it is preferred that the inwardly protruding edges ofthe peripheral ridge be peaned over the casting flanges such as by theuse of a soldering iron or other appropriate tool. Thus, as isrepresented in Fig. 4, the inner end of the upper ridge portion 132 isheat peaned upwardly over flange 144 and the inner end of the lowerridge portion 134 is heat peaned downwardly over flange 146 to form atight seal and to firmly retain the outlook lens 128 in'place. It isalso contemplated, though for clarity is not shown, that ridge portion138 (Fig. 2) be heat peaned over flange 148 and that ridge portion 136be heat peaned over flange 150.

It will be appreciated that outlook lens 126 may be identically formedto outlook lens 128 and attached to the body assembly 10 in an identicalfashion.

The unit may be conveniently assembled by positioning the electricalelements, other than the bulb 80, as well as the mounting stud 14 ineither the outer body casting 20 or the inner body casting 22, placingthose two body portions in proper relationship and interattaching themby the three machine screws including screw 60, by then inserting andheat peaning the outlook lenses 126 and 128, by then inserting the bulb80, and by then attaching the lenses 36 and 54 in place by means oftheir screws, such as screws 38. Subsequent bulb replacement may bereadily accomplished by removing lens 36 or 54.

While it will be apparent that the embodiment of the invention hereindisclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, itwill be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification,variation and change without department from the proper scope or fairmeaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lamp assembly including a lamp, a lens, two similar, metalliccast, frame-shaped body portions generally conforming to the shape ofsaid lens, means interconnecting said body portions end to end to form aframe-shaped body, said lens being peripherally supported by saidframe-shaped body, and a half lamp socket cast integrally with each ofsaid body portions and aligned to define a lamp socket electricallyconnected to the lamp and supporting the lamp centrally of theframe-shaped body and centrally of said lens.

2. In a lamp assembly including a lamp, a lens, two similar, metalliccast, frame-shaped body portions generally conforming to the shape'ofsaid lens, means interconnecting said body portions end to end to form aframe-shaped body, said lens being peripherally supported by saidframe-shaped body, a half lamp socket cast integrally with each of saidbody portions and aligned to define a lamp socket electrically connectedto the lamp and supporting the lamp centrally of the frameshaped bodyand centrally of said lens, an electrical contact assembly, and atwo-section well accepting said contact assembly, one section of saidwell being integral with each of said body portions and disposedradially outwardly from said half lamp socket.

3. In a lamp assembly including a lamp, a lens, two similar, metalliccast, frame-shaped body portions generally conforming to the shape ofsaid lens, means interconnecting said body portions end to end to form aframe-shaped body, said lens being peripherally supported by saidframe-shaped body, a half lamp socket cast integrally with each of saidbody portions and aligned to define a lamp socket electrically connectedto the lamp and supporting the lamp centrally of the frameshaped bodyand centrally of said lens, said means for interconnecting said bodyportions comprising a plurality of radial tabs on each of said portions,said radial tabs being aligned in pairs, and a plurality of screws eachengaging a corresponding pair of said tabs to interattach 4. In' a lampassembly including a lamp, two similar cast, generally ring-shaped bodyportions, means inter: connecting said body portions end to end to forma generally ring-shaped body, a half lamp socket cast integrally witheach of said body portions and aligned to define a lamp socketelectrically connected to the lamp and supporting the lamp centrally ofthe ring-shaped body, said means for interconnecting said body portionscomprising a plurality of radial tabs on each of said portions, saidradial tabs being aligned in pairs, a first plurality of screws eachengaging a corresponding pair of said tabs to interattach said'bodyportions, a second plurality of radial tabs on one of said body portionseach having a tapped aperture, an apertured lens, and a second pluralityof screws passing through the apertures in said lens and engaging thetapped apertures in said second plurality of tabs.

5. In a lamp assembly including a lamp, two similar cast, generallyring-shaped body portions, means interconnecting said body portions endto end to form a generally ring-shaped body, a half lamp socket castintegrally with each of said body portions and aligned to define a lampsocket electrically connected to the lamp and supporting the lampcentrally of the ring-shaped body, an electrical contact assembly, and atwo-section well accepting said contact assembly, one section of saidwell being integral with each of said bodyportions and disposed radiallyoutwardly from said half lamp socket, a headed mounting screw for thelamp assembly extending radially outwardly from said body, and a halfscrewhead socket cast integrally with each of said body portions andaligned to define a screw head socket disposed radially outwardly fromsaid two-section well.

6. In a lamp assembly, two similar cast, generally ring-shaped bodyportions, means interconnecting said body portions end to end to form agenerally ring-shaped 1 a lamp, a body memher enclosing the lamp andhaving a generally rectangular aperture therein, supporting means forsupporting the lamp within said body member, a generally rectangularrigid lens larger in width and height than the width and height,respectively, of said aperture and abutting one side of said body memberaround the entire periphery thereof, said lens permitting light from thelamp to pass therethrough, and means for locking said lens to said bodymember and for fixing said lens against movement relative to and againstremoval from said body member comprising a flange on said lensinsertable in said aperture, and lips on said flange engaging the otherside of said body member adjacent said aperture.

8. In alamp assembly including a lamp, a body member enclosing the lampand having a generally rectangular recess therein and a generallyrectangular aperture in but smaller than said recess, supporting meansfor supporting the lamp within said body member, a generally rectangularrigid lens seated in said recess and larger in width and height than thewidth and height, respectively, of said aperture and engaging thesurface of the recess around the entire periphery thereof, said lenspermitting light from the lamp to pass therethrough, and means forlocking said lens to said body member and for fixing said lens againstmovement relative to and against removal from said body membercomprising a peripheral flange extending generally perpendicularly tosaid lens and through said aperture, and lips on said flange engagingthe other side of said body member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,085,200 Foard Jan. 27, 1914 2,096,270 Worden Oct. 19, 1937 2,190,403Foute Feb. 13, 1940 2,479,919 Flood Aug. 23, 1949 2,507,541 PattersonMay 16, 1950 2,591,131 Brus Apr. 1, 1952 2,602,501 Roos July 8, 19522,637,804 Hollins May 5, 1953 2,655,592 Michel et al Oct. 13, 19532,680,841 Boutelle June 8, 1954 2,685,639 Wiley Aug. 3, 1954 2,689,945Benander Sept. 21, 1954 2,702,556 De Mar Feb. 22, 1955 2,806,937 HollinsSept. 17, 1957

